William l



. To all whom ct may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, WILLIAM L. BLACK, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FIRE-PROOF BUILDING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 278,491, datedMay 29, less.

Application filed November 17, 1882.

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM L. BLACK, of St. Louis, Missouri, have made a new and use- I ful Improvement in Means for Extinguishing the joist, perforated sheet, and ceiling-paper also being shown.

- The same letters of reference denote the same parts. V

The present invention is adaptable to buildin gs having wooden floors and ceilings. The invention consists, mainly, in the means for applying water to the interior of the floors and roof.

A, Fig. 1, represents a building having the inn provement. Aside from the improvement, the building may be of any of the usual form's.

B B represent the walls of the building; 0 G (1 O 850., the floors, and D the roof. The floors have'the usual joists, c c, and flooring, c. The roof also consists, substantially, of the customary rafters, d d, and covering, (1.

There may be one or. I more of these tubes to a flooror roof, accord- E E represent tubes.

ing to the extent-thereof. The tubes are extended crosswise to the joists, and may be held entirely within them-that is, the joists may he perforated to receive the tubes, or the tubes may be suspended beneath the joists y but the preferable arrangement is that shown, the joists being mortised at c to receive the tubes, as shown more distinctly in Fig. 4. The tubes are perforated at each side, as shown at e 6, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, there being. a set of perforations to each space 0 between the joists. At each floor, beneath the tubes E E, perforated sheets F, preferably of metal, are attached, and paper G is applied to the under side of the perforated sheet. The tubes are (No model.)

I. connected with a water-supplyfor instance, the main B, Fig. 1-and the operation of the improvement is as follows:

On openingthe cocks I the water flows from the main through the pipes it a into the tubes E 'E, passing thence through the perforations e 0 into the spaces 0 between thejoists. water is supposed to flow freelyfrom the tubes and in, sufficient quantity to flood thespaces 0 The water then, after drenching the joists and'flooring, trickles downward through the perforations f of the sheets F- The ceiling paper G serves to uphold the water for a sufficient length of time to enable the interior of the floor to become thoroughly moistened, after which the water leaks downward through the paper, serving to moisten the room beneath. The water is similarly applied to the roof D.

can be drenched as desired. The partitions c 0 between thejoists c a may be used to diminish the size of the spaces 0 0? through which the water is sent-that is, in place of filling the entire space between the joists from the tubes E up to the flooring c, the water may be confined to the space beneath the partitions 0 The present improvement is adaptable to other structures as well as to buildings-t0 steamboats and vessels, for instance.

I claim- 1. In combination with a building floor or root having the spaces a c 0 the tubeE, havin gthe perforationse e and the perforated sheet F, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a building floor or roof having the spaces 0 0 0 the perforated tube E, the perforated sheet F, and the paper G, substantially. as described.

3. The combinatiouof the joists c c c, the flooring c, the perforated tube E, and the perforated sheet F, substantially as described.

, 4. In a building-floor, the combination of the joists c c, the partitions 0", and the perforated tube E, as and for the purpose described.

\VM. L. BLACK.

Witnesses:

O. D. MOODY, SAML. S. BOYD.

Thev 

